Caption This!

Posted by Sasha Stone on Feb 28, 2011 in 83rd Oscar Ceremony | 0 comments

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(readers who can’t bear to make a joke about Tom Hooper can find two alternate photos to caption, after the cut.)

Oscar Poker Episode 23

Posted by Sasha Stone on Feb 28, 2011 in Oscar Poker | 0 comments

[alert]Please note: Jeff and I get Doc Short way wrong. We’re talking about Killing in the Name – about the terrorist bombing at a wedding, but the film that won was Strangers No More – which is about a school for war-torn children — big mistake, ours. Apologies. [/alert]

Phil Contrino from boxoffice.com, Jeff Wells and I do our Oscar Poker podcast from last night’s show. Most of it is about the show itself, and we drift off into various other conversations. Have a listen. It’s not just a funeral wake — we’re actually quite chipper. Well, I am anyway.

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RIP Jane Russell

Posted by Sasha Stone on Feb 28, 2011 in Obits | 0 comments

The news has just been passed on by Variety but hasn’t yet hit the wire. In tribute to one of my favorite performances by Ms. Russell – Anne Hathaway doing this dance number at last night’s Oscars? Win win:

Okay Fine, but What About the SHOW?

Posted by Sasha Stone on Feb 28, 2011 in 83rd Oscar Ceremony, featured | 0 comments

I heard a lot of grumblings that no one liked the 83rd Oscar telecast. ¬†See, I come from a different perspective on that. ¬†I actually like it when it’s bad. ¬†I like it when it chunders on and on and lasts all night. I like it when they accept that they will never be cool and just embrace their uncoolness. ¬†I’m so about the Rob Lowe/Snow White dance number. ¬†If the Oscars aren’t unhip, what hope do we have for a streaker moment again? ¬†All of the talk about lesbians and nudity – James Franco’s altogether outlined in a unitard, James Franco in drag, James Franco staring blankly at the camera as if to say: What in god’s name have I gotten myself into?

Whether it's the Real Sorkin or Not…

Posted by Sasha Stone on Feb 28, 2011 in 83rd Oscar Ceremony, featured | 0 comments

This comment was left last night by maybe Aaron Sorkin.  We never quite know, do we.  One could always be punking me.  But if so, Sorkin or (oval or any other shape) a person pretending to be Sorkin:

I apologize for crashing the conversation but now that the envelopes have been opened I wanted to say thanks to everyone here for being such great movie fans. You’re a tough audience to please but I have a hunch I speak for almost everyone who does what I do for a living that we’ll take tough to please over easy to please any day.

…

Finally, I think everyone here understands that movies aren’t race horses. There’s no such thing as the best. I could make an argument why any of the 10 nominated films should have won (and 10 more that weren’t nominated). The important thing is that those movies got MADE. That’s good for movie fans.

Don’t worry if your horse didn’t win. Raging Bull’s legacy is in fine shape. Just like The Graduate and The Wizard of Oz and Citizen Kane and that other movie with “network” in the title.

Thanks again for loving movies so much.

Aaron Sorkin

Thank YOU (real Aaron Sorkin of fake Aaron Sorkin) for writing the screenplay of the decade, as Owen Gleiberman would say.  It was one of the highlights of my eleven years at this dog and pony show to see the movie you wrote and ruminate on it for an entire year.  I hope all of you involved keep making great movies.

And yes, you are right.